Shaamrana
In the very center of the desert known as the Dulqa, in the Kaspari Empire, is a large oasis set between twin mountain ranges. The jewel of this oasis, known as Mozedeh, is the city of Shaamrana. Shaamrana is awash in riches from throughout the Kaspari Empire and beyond. Rare spices, strange condiments, richly woven carpets, gleaming swords from Durqand, wonders of the Alwabi Sea - all are gathered in one location to assault and delight the senses. In its sheer variety of goods, Shaamrana is the wealthiest city in the Dulqa. Features of the City Shaamrana is a major trading site in the Kaspari Empire. Here the caravan routes from all across the Dulqa converge, and the tribes of the Pogardi Mountains and the Kalliwah come down to trade their wares with agents of the Caliph. Only the suqs of Sawaal, which bear the finest produce in all of the Kaspari Empire, can rival Shaamrana's marketplace. The people of Shaamrana reflect this meeting of cultures. Dress in Shaamrana reflects the styles of both the Basaam River valley and the mountain tribes of the south, as well as the common dress of the Dulqa. The impoverished residents dress in whatever rags and tatters they can manage, but even the poor of Shaamrana are better off than most. The riches are so abundant, and the need for labor so great, that anyone capable of work can find it if he or she looks. Shaamrana is further blessed by having several natural artesian wells. The largest of these wells lies at the base of the Sultan's palace. The wells supply most of the city's drinking water with little strain on their capacity. Only the poor use water from the marshes, and the city quarter bordering that area is a slum of shoddy housing, dangerous beggars, and characters hoping to disappear behind the veil of dust and poverty. The people of Shaamrana are proud and boisterous, quick to take offense. Street music is common here, and volume outweighs proficiency for most minstrels. Merchant haggling often leads to drawn pistols, and daggers are driven into the walls to underline a point. People of Shaamrana regard the colder, more cultured natives of other realms as repressed and unfeeling. Rumors and Lore No one in Shaamrana misses the old Sultan, a skinflint and tyrant who was last seen being dragged off to Sawaal. Some years later, the story of what became of him filtered back to Shaamrana. It is said that he (wisely) renounced his evil ways and became a priest in the deserts near Quzedrah. One of his children survived the revolution in Shaamrana, and eventually relocated with him to that city. It is therefore likely that heirs to the previous throne are still active. Most of the populace is quite happy with the present rulership, but a few are concerned about Sultan Quzah Afzan's wisdom, and they would prefer that the Sultan either recognize his illegitimate daughter Kali Betabbin officially or discover if any capable candidates exist among the original Sultan's descendants. Outside the court, the greatest local news is the arrival of Qadir the Magnificent. This merchant-rogue has gained a grant from Sultan Afzan to establish a menagerie of fantastic creatures. Having secured a suitable location in a garbage-ridden area near the marshes, he has put out an announcement that he will pay money for "wonders of all lands, safely contained and suitable for viewing by the enlightened." Category:Small Cities Category:Locations Category:Locations in the Kaspari Empire Category:Locations in Mozedeh Category:Settlements Category:Settlements in the Kaspari Empire